abstract art in which the artist changes the way something looks so that it doesn t look like the real object it represents.

abstract art in which the artist changes the way something looks so that it doesn t look like the real object it represents.

artifact an object made or used by human beings, especially an object made during a specific period of the past.

background when you look at a landscape, the part that seems farthest away; often it is at the top of the picture.

balance the way an artist uses elements of art to make you look at all parts of the work.

calligraphy pretty handwriting made with a quill, reed pen, or brush.

ceramics artworks made out of clay and then heated or fired at high temperatures.

ceremonial art art made to honor a person or event or to be used as part of a ritual or celebration.

clay earth mixed with water

collage artwork made by attaching pieces of paper or other material to a flat surface.

color one of the elements of art; what we see when light waves are broken apart in certain ways; also called hue.

color wheel a circle diagram that shows how colors are related.

complementary colors colors that are directly across from each other on the color wheel; they have a lot of contrast.

contrast when there is a lot of difference between elements of art; for example, the colors red and green, the textures smooth and rough.

cool colors colors that remind you of cool things like water or the forest; green, blue, and purple; artists use them to create moods.

drawing a two-dimensional artwork made with a pencil or crayon.

elements of art line, color, form, shape, space, texture, and value; artists plan how to use these in their artworks to get the results they want.

emphasis what you notice first in an artwork.

expressive art art created to show a feeling or emotion.

foreground when you look at a landscape, the part that seems the closest to you; often it is at the bottom of the picture.

form an element of art; forms have three dimensions length, width, and depth.

functional art art that is made to be used.

hue another word for color.

landscape a work of art that shows an outdoor scene.

line an element of art; a mark with length, direction, and qualities (such as thick or thin, zigzag).

medium a material used to produce art; for example, paint, clay, fiber. The plural of medium is media.

narrative art art that tells a story or shares information.

pattern a line, shape, or color repeated again and again.

portrait a work of art that shows a specific person or group of people.

primary colors colors that cannot be made from other colors red, yellow, and blue.

principles of design pattern, emphasis, balance, contrast, movement, repetition, rhythm, proportion, transition, variety, unity; artists arrange the elements of art using these principles to get the results they want in their artwork.

proportion the size or amount of one thing compared to that of another thing.

realistic art that shows things the way they really look.

rhythm visual tempo or beat; the way an artist arranges the elements of art to cause you to move your eyes across an artwork.

secondary colors colors made by mixing two primary colors; for example, blue and yellow make green.

self-portrait a work of art in which the artist portrays himself or herself.

shade a color mixed with black to make it dark.

shape an element of art; an enclosed space created when lines meet or by color or texture.

space an element of art; the area between, around, above, below, or within things in an artwork.

still life a work of art that shows nonliving objects arranged in an interesting way.

symmetrical when the parts of an image or object are organized so that one side is a mirror image of the other.

tertiary colors colors made by mixing a primary and secondary color; for example, bluegreen.

texture an element of art; the way something feels when you touch it; also, the way something in an artwork looks like it would feel.

tint a color mixed with white to make it lighter.

threedimensional artwork that is not flat, but has length, width, and depth; sculptures and ceramics are examples of three-dimensional artworks.

twodimensional artwork that is flat; having length and width; most paintings and drawings are two-dimensional artworks.

unity the feeling that the elements used in an artwork fit each other and work together to achieve the result the artist wanted.

variety when an artist uses different elements of art, such as many different kinds of lines, colors, or textures.

value an element of art; the lightness or darkness.

warm colors colors that remind you of warm things like sun or fire; red, yellow, and orange; artists use them to create moods.